Every AEW Wrestler Ranked From Worst To Best - After One Year

27. Santana

Santana AEW
AEW

Santana positions slightly above his Proud and Powerful partner as he had the stronger Jon Moxley singles match prior to Revolution. It's that simple.

That made Santana stand out during that mini-program was a revelatory backstory vignette that put his struggle to the top over huge, particularly when he recontextualised Moxley stabbing his eye by revealing he grew up with a blind father. It was passionate, believable, and emotional, highlighting Satana as one of the promotion's more underrated talkers.

26. Frankie Kazarian

Frankie Kazarian
AEW

SoCal Uncensored were the tag team in AEW for the promotion's first few months. As a vital cog in that machine, Frankie Kazarian places in the top 30, despite sliding down the rankings since shedding the championships.

Kaz is still a very good worker at 42 years old. His skill, experience, and nous have been vital in holding the division together at times, particularly during the early days, and it'll be interesting to see if he makes another run at the belts in 2020.

25. Mr. Brodie Lee

Brodie Lee
Lee South/AEW

There's more to unpack with Brodie Lee than this word count will allow, so let's simplify:-

Vince McMahon jabs = bad.

Promo delivery = good.

The Double Or Nothing build = half-baked.

The Jon Moxley match = out-f*cking-standing.

A blowaway DoN performance shot Lee back up after a middling start to life in AEW, proving the old industry heads that call this man a genius of laying out matches were correct in their assessment. That violent, bloody war was a death metal EP come to life and will hopefully provide a springboard to wider acclaim for Lee, who still has much to prove after leaving WWE.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.